Ottawa Police Services say in a news release Saturday that investigators have worked through the night to positively identify all three victims and contact their families and loved ones. They add that no information on the identity of the three will be released now.

The driver of the OC Transpo double-decker bus has been released unconditionally pending further investigation.

The police Collisions Investigation unit will continue its work this morning at Westboro station documenting the scene.

Road closures remain in place near the scene of the collision and police continue to ask the public to to avoid the area.

Ottawa Police are also interviewing multiple witnesses and ask anyone who left the scene or has information about this collision is asked to call police at 613-236-1222 ext 2481.

Anonymous tips can be submitted by calling Crime Stoppers toll-free at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS), or by downloading the Ottawa Police app

Churchill Seniors Centre at 345 Richmond Rd. for those seeking information about family members involved in the crash, has now been closed.

.@ChiefBordeleau asking that all those who witnessed the collision call @OttawaPolice with any information they may have. This is very important for investigators.

* A westbound double-decker bus travelling on the Transitway hit Westboro Station around 3:50 p.m. on Friday * Three people are dead and 23 were injured * Two people died while on the bus, while the other person died standing on the platform * One witness said the bus hit a patch of ice before crashing into the side of the station * The police chief said it was Route 269. He said the driver of the bus was arrested and taken in for questioning. “Something led us” to arrest her, said the chief. * The Transitway has been closed from Scott Street and the Transitway, between Westboro and Tunney’s Pasture stations * The Ottawa Hospital said it received a total of 12 patients to its Civic campus and six to its General campus

It should have been a normal commute home at the end of a long work week for the passengers on OC Transpo’s “Connexion” Route 269, bound for Kanata’s Bridlewood neighbourhood from downtown.

But as the packed, double-decker bus roared through Westboro Station at 3:50 p.m., something went suddenly, horrifyingly wrong. The driver lost control, sending the bus hurtling over the curb and into the shelter, impaling itself on the shelter’s overhanging steel and glass roof, which sliced several rows deep into the bus’s upper right side.

Two people on the bus and one person standing on the platform were killed. Another 23 were injured, nine of whom were in hospital Friday night with critical, life-threatening injuries.

The female bus driver was arrested at the scene.

“I remember hearing the bus driver saying, ‘Oh my God, oh my God, oh my God’,” one passenger said as she walked away from the station down Scott Street, an hour after the crash.

“The bus was full, every seat was taken, plus there were people standing in the middle row, so they were flying back,” said the woman, a member of the military who would not give her name.

“There was glass everywhere. One guy I was helping, his foot was facing the other way and he had blood all over his face. He was top left, second from the front.

“One person on the road was unconscious, the other one was conscious but pretty beat up. It was awful.”

Police, paramedics and firefighters swarmed the scene at Westboro Station, as they tried to free the injured, many of them trapped on the bus’s upper deck. Police closed Scott Street near the station and buses re-routed off the Transitway.

Firefighters used ladders to reach the bus’s upper deck, as first-responders worked in bone-chilling temperatures to comfort and treat the injured. Some of the badly hurt were removed on stretchers through the bus’s smashed upper front window. Others were carried or limped their way to a fleet of waiting ambulances.

“It is with deep sadness that I report that there were three confirmed casualties,” Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson said at an evening press briefing at city hall.

“Speaking on behalf of my colleagues on city council, our hearts and condolences go out to all those injured, those families that have lost loved ones and their families. Our thoughts are also with the others on that bus, at that station, those directly involved, and those who witnessed the collision.”

Related

The Ottawa Hospital declared an emergency Code Orange about a half hour after the crash. It received 12 patients at its trauma centre at the Civic campus and six at the General campus. A doctor at the Civic campus walked into the emergency room and addressed the handful of people waiting with conditions unrelated to the bus crash. He thanked them for their patience, and instructed anyone who felt they were getting worse to talk to the triage desk.

“We’re having a mass casualty event,” he explained. “There’s some really critical patients.”

The bus driver was taken to police headquarters Friday night to be questioned by police.

269 OC Transpo bus at the park and ride at Eagleson on Monday morning, January 14, 2019. Jean Levac/Postmedia News

A double decker OC Transpo bus at the park and ride at Eagleson on Monday morning, January 14, 2019. Jean Levac/Postmedia News

Flowers were left at the Westboro station in memory of the bus crash victims, January 14, 2019. Jean Levac/Postmedia News

OC Transpo information workers look at some flowers that were left at the Westboro station in memory of the bus crash victims, January 14, 2019. Jean Levac/Postmedia News

An origami star was placed in a tree that stands near the crash site near the transit way in Westboro, Sunday Jan. 13, 2019. Ashley Fraser/Postmedia

Crews were on site of the fatal bus crash along the transit way in Westboro, Sunday Jan. 13, 2019, working to clean up and get the station prepared for reopening.Ashley Fraser/Postmedia

Crews were on site of the fatal bus crash along the transit way in Westboro, Sunday Jan. 13, 2019, working to clean up and get the station prepared for reopening. Ashley Fraser/Postmedia

Crews were on site of the fatal bus crash along the transit way in Westboro, Sunday Jan. 13, 2019, working to clean up and get the station prepared for reopening. Ashley Fraser/Postmedia

Crews were on site of the fatal bus crash along the transit way in Westboro, Sunday Jan. 13, 2019, working to clean up and get the station prepared for reopening. Ashley Fraser/Postmedia

Crews were on site of the fatal bus crash along the transit way in Westboro, Sunday Jan. 13, 2019, working to clean up and get the station prepared for reopening. Ashley Fraser/Postmedia

The OC Transpo bus involved in Friday's crash at Westboro Station was towed from the scene, revealing extensive damage, on Jan. 12, 2019.David Kawai/Ottawa Citizen

The OC Transpo bus involved in Friday's crash at Westboro Station was towed from the scene, revealing extensive damage, on Jan. 12, 2019.David Kawai/Postmedia

The OC Transpo bus involved in Friday's crash at Westboro Station was towed from the scene on Saturday, revealing extensive damage.David Kawai/Postmedia

The OC Transpo bus involved in Friday's crash at Westboro Station was towed from the scene, revealing extensive damage, on Jan. 12, 2019. David Kawai/Postmedia

The OC Transpo bus involved in Friday's crash at Westboro Station was towed from the scene, revealing extensive damage, on Jan. 12, 2019. David Kawai/Postmedia

The OC Transpo bus involved in Friday's crash at Westboro Station was towed from the scene, revealing extensive damage, on Jan. 12, 2019.David Kawai/Postmedia

The OC Transpo bus involved in Friday's crash at Westboro Station was towed from the scene, revealing extensive damage, on Jan. 12, 2019. David Kawai/Postmedia

Ottawa police have the area around the Westboro transit station cordoned off with police tape and cruisers Saturday Jan. 12, 2019, while the collision is investigated.Ashley Fraser/Postmedia

Ottawa police have the area around the Westboro transit station cordoned off with police tape and cruisers Saturday Jan. 12, 2019, while the collision is investigated.Ashley Fraser/Postmedia

Ottawa police have the area around the Westboro transit station cordoned off with police tape and cruisers Saturday Jan. 12, 2019, while the collision is investigated. Ashley Fraser/Postmedia

Ottawa police have the area around the Westboro transit station cordoned off with police tape and cruisers Saturday Jan. 12, 2019, while the collision is investigatedAshley Fraser/Postmedia

Ottawa police have the area around the Westboro transit station cordoned off with police tape and cruisers Saturday Jan. 12, 2019, while the collision is investigated. Ashley Fraser/Postmedia

Ottawa police have the area around the Westboro transit station cordoned off with police tape and cruisers Saturday Jan. 12, 2019, while the collision is investigated. Three people were killed and many were injured after an OC Transpo double-decker bus crashed on the transit way Friday afternoon.
Ashley Fraser/Postmedia

Ottawa police have the area around the Westboro transit station cordoned off with police tape and cruiser's Saturday Jan. 12, 2019, while the collision is investigatedAshley Fraser/Postmedia

Ottawa police have the area around the Westboro transit station cordoned off with police tape and cruiser's Saturday Jan. 12, 2019, while the collision is investigated. Ashley Fraser/Postmedia

First responders attend to victims of a horrific rush hour bus crash at the Westboro Station near Tunney's Pasture. Wayne Cuddington/Postmedia

Ottawa police have the area around the Westboro transit station cordoned off on Saturday.Ashley Fraser/Postmedia

Ottawa police have the area around the Westboro transit station cordoned off with police tape and cruiser's Saturday Jan. 12, 2019, while the collision is investigated. Ashley Fraser/Postmedia

Ottawa police have the area around the Westboro transit station cordoned off with police tape and cruiser's Saturday Jan. 12, 2019. Three people were killed and many were injured after an OC Transpo double-decker bus crashed on the transit way Friday afternoon.
Ashley Fraser/Postmedia

Ottawa police have the area around the Westboro transit station cordoned off with police tape and cruiser's Saturday Jan. 12, 2019. Three people were killed and many were injured after an OC Transpo double-decker bus crashed on the transit way Friday afternoon.
Ashley Fraser/Postmedia

Ottawa police have the area around the Westboro transit station cordoned off with police tape and cruiser's Saturday Jan. 12, 2019. Three people were killed and many were injured after an OC Transpo double-decker bus crashed on the transit way Friday afternoon.
Ashley Fraser/Postmedia

Ottawa police have the area around the Westboro transit station cordoned off with police tape and cruiser's Saturday Jan. 12, 2019. Three people were killed and many were injured after an OC Transpo double-decker bus crashed on the transit way Friday afternoon.
Ashley Fraser/Postmedia

Ottawa police have the area around the Westboro transit station cordoned off with police tape and cruiser's Saturday Jan. 12, 2019. Three people were killed and many were injured after an OC Transpo double-decker bus crashed on the transit way Friday afternoon.
Ashley Fraser/Postmedia

Ottawa police have the area around the Westboro transit station cordoned off with police tape and cruiser's Saturday Jan. 12, 2019. Three people were killed and many were injured after an OC Transpo double-decker bus crashed on the transit way Friday afternoon.
Ashley Fraser/Postmedia

First responders attend to victims of a horrific rush hour bus crash at the Westboro Station near Tunney's Pasture. Wayne Cuddington/Postmedia

First responders attend to victims of a horrific rush hour bus crash at the Westboro Station near Tunney's Pasture. Wayne Cuddington//Postmedia

First responders attend to victims of a horrific rush hour bus crash at the Westboro Station near Tunney's Pasture. Wayne Cuddington/Postmedia

First responders attend to victims of a horrific rush hour bus crash at the Westboro Station near Tunney's Pasture. Wayne Cuddington/Postmedia

First responders attend to victims of a horrific rush hour bus crash at the Westboro Station near Tunney's Pasture.Wayne Cuddington/Postmedia

First responders attend to victims of a horrific rush hour bus crash at the Westboro Station near Tunney's Pasture. Photo by Wayne Cuddington/ PostmediaWayne Cuddington/Postmedia

First responders attend to victims of a horrific rush hour bus crash at the Westboro Station near Tunney's Pasture. Wayne Cuddington/Postmedia

First responders attend to victims of a horrific rush hour bus crash at the Westboro Station near Tunney's Pasture. Wayne Cuddington/Postmedia

First responders attend to victims of a horrific rush hour bus crash at the Westboro Station near Tunney's Pasture. Wayne Cuddington/Postmedia

First responders attend to victims of a horrific rush hour bus crash at the Westboro Station near Tunney's Pasture. Wayne Cuddington/Postmedia

A patient is taken to an ambulance as first responders attend to victims of a horrific rush hour bus crash at the Westboro Station near Tunney's Pasture. Wayne Cuddington/Postmedia

A scene at the Scott Street entrance to Westboro Station as first responders attend to victims of a horrific rush hour bus crash at the Westboro Station near Tunney's Pasture. Wayne Cuddington/Postmedia

Firefighters put on protective suits before attending the scene as first responders attend to victims of a horrific rush hour bus crash at the Westboro Station near Tunney's Pasture. Wayne Cuddington/Postmedia

The scene of the OC Transpo bus crash on the Transitway at Westboro Station on Friday, Jan. 11, 2019. Submitted photo./OTTwp

The scene of the OC Transpo bus crash on the Transitway at Westboro Station on Friday, Jan. 11, 2019. Submitted photo./OTTwp

The scene of the OC Transpo bus crash on the Transitway at Westboro Station on Friday, Jan. 11, 2019. Submitted photo./OTTwp

First responders attend to victims of a horrific rush hour bus crash at the Westboro Station near Tunney's Pasture. Wayne Cuddington/Postmedia

The scene of the OC Transpo bus crash on the Transitway at Westboro Station on Friday, Jan. 11, 2019. Submitted photo./OTTwp

The OC Transpo bus involved in Friday's crash at Westboro Station was towed from the scene, revealing extensive damage, on Jan. 12, 2019.David Kawai/Ottawa Citizen

The OC Transpo bus involved in Friday's crash at Westboro Station was towed from the scene, revealing extensive damage, on Jan. 12, 2019.David Kawai/Ottawa Citizen

The OC Transpo bus involved in Friday's crash at Westboro Station was towed from the scene, revealing extensive damage, on Jan. 12, 2019.David Kawai/Ottawa Citizen

The OC Transpo bus involved in Friday's crash at Westboro Station was towed from the scene, revealing extensive damage, on Jan. 12, 2019.David Kawai/Ottawa Citizen

The OC Transpo bus involved in Friday's crash at Westboro Station was towed from the scene, revealing extensive damage, on Jan. 12, 2019.David Kawai/Ottawa Citizen

“As to the driver, I can advise you without getting into details, there was a requirement for us to arrest her at the scene and she has been transported to our headquarters for interviewing,” Ottawa police Chief Charles Bordeleau told reporters. In response to a follow-up question, he said: “I can tell you that something led us to arrest the individual and take them to the station.”

She was released later Friday night.

Six police collision investigators pored over the crash scene trying to determine what went wrong. Ontario’s Ministry of Transportation and Transport Canada are also involved in the investigation, Bordeleau said.

”Responding to any type of incident like this is tragic and it’s very difficult,” Bordeleau said. “It’s a chaotic scene.”

Route 269 does not stop at Westboro Station, running straight through from Tunney’s Pasture, its previous stop, to Bayshore. It takes about an hour to do the full run, and many passengers come from the National Defence Headquarters at the Mackenzie King Bridge, where it starts its run.

It is the second deadly incident for OC Transpo since 2013 when a bus collided with a Via passenger train at a level crossing near Fallowfield Road. Six people died, including the bus driver. Both the Westboro and Fallowfield buses involved OC Transpo’s double-decker Alexander Dennis E500 buses. The city’s transportation manager, John Manconi, said a Transportation Safety Board investigation after the 2013 crash found no faults with the vehicle.

“You recall the TSB report was very crystal clear that there was no issue with the double-decker bus from a maintenance perspective, from OC Transpo’s requirements to maintain them, we do pass all MTO inspections and so forth,” Manconi told reporters.

The city set up a post at the Churchill Seniors Centre to act as a reception centre for those both seeking information about family members they were unable to reach reach and a warming centre for first responders who had been at the scene.

Counsellors from the Ottawa police’s victims crisis unit were available to assist families and witnesses of the crash. Workers from the Red Cross and the Salvation Army were also stationed inside.

Around 8 p.m, only about a dozen people entered the reception centre, many anxious about loved ones who they had not been able to contact. Very soon after the centre opened, a couple was reunited with their teenaged daughter.

Kanata resident Mary Hawkeye went to the centre at about 7 p.m. after she was unable to contact her 26-year-old son, who works in a downtown restaurant.

“He left a couple of hours ago,” she said before going in. “He’s not answering his cellphone. It goes directly to voicemail. So we’re not really sure,” she said.

“Hopefully, it’s good news.”

Hawkeye left the centre a few minutes later after her son called from home.

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Three dead in double-decker bus crash at Westboro Station in Ottawa, 23 others injured